Request to ALL international Organizations who work in protection of environment and wild animals - Please join international campaign addressing Minister of Ecology France - France would refuse import onto its territory of elephants captured in Zimbabwe. The Government of this country where corruption and poaching are out of control has just announced that procedures for export of 15 to 20 elephants calves to French Zoos is under study. These baby elephants between 3 and 5 years old have been circled, flown over by helicopter, separated from their mothers, tied up and fenced in inside Hwange Park. Capture of the baby elephants was eased by rounds of machine guns shot just above the groups’ heads to paralyze it and prevent them from communicating among them. The quantity of smuggled ivory is 3 time higher than in 1998. In Asia and particularly in China, demand from middle and upper classes is increasing. An endless demand.Following Robin des Bois’ invitation, 37 NGOs around the world addressed a letter the 20 January 2015 to Madam Royal, Minister of Ecology, requesting a ban on trade in raw and cut ivory and on exports from France (see below). In Africa and in Asia, 35,000 to 40,000 elephants are poached each year. The elephant population in Africa has gone down by 70% between 1985 and 2010. Europe and France have their share of responsibility in the increase of trafficking. Selling of “post-colonial” ivory is more and more frequent in auction rooms and on the Internet. The elephant tusks are described as pre-convention and supposed to have been bought before 1976 and application of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES). Authenticity of the original documents is subject to questioning Madam Royal answered positively to this request in saying to the French Press Agency that “France first will align its legislation with the most advanced rules in this domain.” In Germany, since last September, a decree bans exports of tusks and raw ivory bigger than 20 cm long. In the United Kingdom and Sweden, trade and export of raw ivory is no longer authorized. Madam Royal will secondly « see what it is possible to do to go further to counter trafficking. » Robin des Bois therefor wishes that in this positive perspective, France would refuse import onto its territory of elephants captured in Zimbabwe. The Government of this country where corruption and poaching are out of control has just announced that procedures for export of 15 to 20 elephants calves to French Zoos is under study. These baby elephants between 3 and 5 years old have been circled, flown over by helicopter, separated from their mothers, tied up and fenced in inside Hwange Park. Capture of the baby elephants was eased by rounds of machine guns shot just above the groups’ heads to paralyze it and prevent them from communicating among them. One of the baby elephants is already dead. Other dossiers for exports are under way for destinations such as the United Arab Emirates and China. France must not partake in pillaging biodiversity and cruelty to elephants. Already in 2013, the same elephant population fell victim to massive poisoning by cyanide. * * * In a joint letter, 37 Non-Governmental Organizations from Europe, Africa, America and Asia are asking the Minister of Ecology to stop the sale and exports in and from France of raw and cut ivory (letter available online). If France decides to take these two measures, this will participate in stopping elephant poaching, contraband and speculation on ivory. The quantity of smuggled ivory is 3 time higher than in 1998. In Asia and particularly in China, demand from middle and upper classes is increasing. An endless demand. In Africa and in Asia, 35,000 to 40,000 elephants are poached each year. The elephant population in Africa has gone down by 70% between 1985 and 2010. The elephant’s reproduction cycle is particularly long. Gestation lasts 21 to 23 months. Less some rare exceptions, it is followed by a single birth. The baby will then nurse for at least 3 years. Time periods between 2 births go from 4 to 10 years. The elephants poached are more and more young. The future of the species is threatened within short term. Some are betting on their disappearance and speculate on ivory as some would speculate on gold or diamonds. Europe and France have their share of responsibility in the increase of trafficking. Selling of “post-colonial” ivory is more and more frequent in auction rooms and on the Internet. The elephant tusks are described as pre-convention and supposed to have been bought before 1976 and application of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES). Authenticity of the original documents is subject to questioning. Illegal ivory trafficking is mainly controlled by criminal networks using corruption, violence and fake or deterred documents. The “legal” French ivory trade takes place in this context. In France, the DREAL (Directions Régionales de lEnvironnement, de lAménagement et du Logement) are competent to deliver intra-European Union certificates authorizing ivory sales but agents from the DREAL have more urgent missions than to verify authenticity of family documents and archives proving the ivory was bought truthfully before 1976; there is a risk that ivory taken from poached animals be in this way legalized. Certificates delivered by French authorities for legal tusks can be deterred and used to sell illegal tusks. Concern has already been expressed regarding use of fake French certificates. France and Europe can no longer take the risk of supplying trade in supposedly legal ivory that once on the Asian sale houses facilitate selling of illegal ivory and consequently lead to an increase in ivory poaching. robindesbois.org/english/animal/common-letter-ivory-France-Jan2015-BD.pdf
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 07:40:35 +0000
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